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BY MISS 


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Texas M 


Bro Stories 






Woman 


n History 




The Woman on the 


Pine Spring 


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AS THINKETH A 
WOMAN 



POEMS 




BY 

KATIE DAFFAN 

'J 



HOUSTON 

SOUTHWEST PUBLISHING COMPANY 

PRINTERS 



7& 3^:07 



Copyright, 1912 

By 

Katie Daffan 



t ci.A3a()a45 



TO MY FRIENDS WHO PICK 
UP THIS BOOK 

These verses have all been written-as I suppose 
verses have always been written-to relieve my heart 
of its accnmulated energy. This heart energ>^ gathers 
rapidly, and my heart is always very "full of things 
—full of love, the kind that can not die, and would 
not die if it could, for I love much and can not help 
it, and these verses relieve me of the tension that such 
energy creates. 

I love nature, but more than all things do I love 
companionship-that quick, sympathetic fellowship 
of the heart. When nature charms. I long for a 
beloved one to share that charm with me, and thus 
increase the pleasure which she gives. 

Those who love us sympathize with our efforts and 
appreciate our objects, and it is for those who love 
me that I have written these verses. 

Though there are essentials to the making of true 
verse, Tmong them rhythm, poise and measure, the 
first and vital essential is a loving heart— and surely 

a heart is here. 

Katie Dafpan. 



CONTENTS 



Page. 

To My Mother. , 11 

The Change 15 

My Legacy 16 

The Harvest Phm 16 

Individuality 17 

When My Ship Comes In 18 

The Tide Will Turn 19 

The Test 20 

Tell Me A Story 21 

Will You M arry Me ? 22 

Why Did You Not Call Me Back? 23 

Her Grey Eyes, 24 

Jack Horner 25 

Four Influences 26 

Come To My Arms 27 

The Red Rose of Passion 28 

I Love You .• 28 

The Practice Houi' 29 

The Girl Who Will Not Tell 30 

Woik 30 

A Dream 31 

My Throne Room 32 

The Pine Trees' Song 33 

I Dwell Alone With My Heart 34 

Not So, Omar Khayyam 36 

The Electric Answer 37 

Love Is A Magnetic Battery 38 

Forgiven 39 

The Carnival 40 

A Flirtation 41 

Misunderstood 42 

Certain Conversion 43 

Example 44 

God's Messengers 44 

Ashes To Ashes 45 

Sleigh Bells 46 

God's Mate 47 

Music That I Love 48 

The Slander Dealer 49 

Fli-st Impressions 50 

Love's Caprice 51 

The Woman Effeminate 51 

Does God Know ? 52 

The Girl Who Has Been Kissed 53 

Winter 53 

To The Old-Fashioned Girl 54 



Page. 

Let Him Go 54 

Your Presence 55 

Suicide 56 

Be Good, Little Girl, Good-Bye 57 

Solitude 58 

The Charm of the Speaker 58 

When My Work Is Ended 59 

The Postman's Whistle 60 

To Love, When He Is Late 61 

The End Of The Day 61 

Memorial Day 62 

Love's Temple 63 

The Land Of Old Age 64 

The Meaning Of The Smile 65 

Two Women 65 

The Night Queen 66 

Go To Sleep My Baby Boy 67 

How Much I Love You 68 

The Gypsy Priestess 69 

Let Me Drink To Your Eyes 70 

It Is Better To Want Some Things 71 

I Saw A Face 72 

Denial 72 

The Aspen Tree 73 

Love And Pride 74 

The Dead Child 75 

The Elementary Thing 76 

Indicision 76 

The Elysian Paths 77 

Mortal Love 77 

The Two Powers 78 

Self-Knowledge 78 

Morning Prayer For Little School Children 79 

Christmas Day and Every Day 79 

Will I Love Him Always? SO 

Queen of Heaven and Earth 81 

We Always Give Back What We Take 82 

Waiting 83 

My Lover At Sea 84 

Flowers Not Sweet 85 

Little Girl 85 

Promise Me Nothing, I Beg Of You 86 

The Tight Rope 87 

Take Your Own Place In The Landscape 88 

How Happiness Comes 89 

To Edna Daf fan 90 

Come 'Ere To Yer Mammy 92 

The Port Of Starting Anew 93 

Are You Happier Now, O, Woman? 94 

Love's Vigil 95 



DEDICATION 



TO MY MOTHER 

If Life or Hope or Love ring here, 

If courage may be found; 
If Faith be here, or Gentleness, 

If Sympathy abound. 

'Tis you who are all these to me : 
Hope, Faith and Courage true, 

With insight deep in human hearts 
And selfless purpose pure. 

I place these poems in your hands, 

As in my baby days 
I brought 3'ou broken dolls and toys. 

Because you knew the ways 

To mend things ; and you still know how, 
For lives I've seen you mend, 

I dedicate this book to you, 
My steadfast, loyal friend! 



AS THINKETH A 
WOMAN 



AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



THE CHANGE. 

He said, "Let's you and I go back 

And start it all once more, 
Plight a new ti'otli and seal our love 

Within our own home door." 

"All right," I said, and go we did, 
Where Time had flown on wing, 

But a chill we felt in room and hall 
And change in everything. 

"What was it we left liere long ago. 

That now can not be found? 
You wait right here and call it back, 

I'll search the house around." 

I searched ; but that old spirit bold. 
Though I missed not room or hall 

And lingered at our old fireside, 
Came never at my call. 

It came not back, that nameless thing. 

That spirit bold and free. 
"Ah." I said, "this house is just the same, 

The change is in you and me." 



16 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



MY LEGACY. 

I would like to leave one thought in the world, 
Engrav'ed on standards from banners furled, 
At ev'rv' proud church and great house of state 
In civic palace and on temple gate ; 
On granite shafts that point to the sky, 
In tablets of stone, on monuments high ; 
On the pages of books for men to read — 
Not record of war or of bloody deed — 
In wonderful art I would leave iiiy thought, 
Art, that only the Master hand has wrought. 
In the sweetest music man ever heard — 
Sweeter than notes of a full- voiced bird — 
■'Love Eternal!" this bold message I'd send, 
All around the world and from end to end. 
Let there be no unkindness, malice, hate; 
Let all things be right, all good find its mate ! 
To bless us and guide us make heav'n of earth. 
Let love, an inheritance, bless each birth. 



THE HARVEST PLAN. 

To plant good seed in his own home soil. 

And to see that it takes sure root. 
To match the plants with care and toil. 

That they bring forth all wholesome fruit. 
Is each man's part of God's Harvest Plan. 

Nor need he to moan as he waits, 
Or to watch who picks, if boy or man, 

Of this fruit grown within his gate. 
Enough to know that his planted seed 

Has refreshed one sad pilgrim worn. 
And giv'n him strength for his daily need, 

While his burden here still is borne. 



KATIE DAFFAN 17 



INDIVIDUALITY. 

I asked a bird as he flew through the air 
"Why cannot I sing, just as you?" 

And his voice rang out in sweet, silver notes, 
"You can do what I can not do." 

I said to a fragrant, perfect white rose, 
"1 wish I were stately and fine," 

She bowed her proud head as a dew-drop fell, 
"You have presence and poise not mine." 

I called to the breeze as he munnured by, 
"I want to be gentle and sweet," 

He said, as he touched my wayward curls, 
"You enter where I must retreat." 

Then, I begged a glorious, ruby star, 
"Teach me to give radiant light." 

She glowed and burned as she whispered to me, 
"Stars only shine bright in the night." 

A calm voice came to my questioning heart, 
As I saw that they each were sad, 

Each knew his circle of measured strength. 
And the voice of my heart was glad: — 

The bird can not shine as the star in heaven,' 
The breeze can not glow as the flower. 

Though each is complete in his native strength 
One can't take the other's power. 



18 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



WHEN ]MY SHIP COMES IN. 

Where is my ship ? It will not come in, 

Though I stand on the shore and wait 
And watch and gaze far into the West 
For that ship's cargo holds my heart's best 
Loved treasure ; why is it so late ? 

Where is my ship? In an ocean grave? 

Down, down in the pitiless sea? 
Is it held by pirates fierce and bold, 
Or wrecked on some island lone and cold? 

Will it ever come home to me? 

Where is my ship? Through morn time I look, 

But never a sail is in sight. 
The sunbeams dance as the waters play, 
The waves lash high and they laugh all day, 

But nothing comes but the night. 

Where is my ship? What is that I hear? 

As I stand in the waves' white foam, 
"At even' tide great ships come to shore. 
And 3''ours is filled with a priceless store, 

Be patient, your ship will come home." 

"Where is my ship?" I cried to the voice, 

"Go bring it here to my side!" 
"For each good deed that you here have done, 
Your fair ship, a fresh cargo has won. 

Great ships come at even' tide! 

At even' tide your ship will come in. 

Be ready, and don't despair, 
Love sits at the helm, he's coming fast, 
Delays are no more, dangers are past, 

All is well, for Love is there!" 



KATIE DAFFAN 19 



THE TIDE WILL TURN. 

The tide is sure to turn, boys, wipe away that tear! 
Keep on! Right ahead, boys, and don't forget to 

cheer ! 
Yesterday is gone and today already here, 
The tide is sure to turn, boys, so cheer! cheer! cheer! 

The tide is sure to turn, boys, and night grow clear, 
Open wide your eyes, boys, and don't forget to cheer! 
Finest pearls are buried deep — they are treasures, 

dear, 
The tide is sure to turn, boys, so cheer! cheer! cheer! 

The tide is sure to turn, boys, watch there near your 

pier! 
Dive into the deep part and don't forget to cheer! 
Grapple courage to your side, you have nought to fear, 
The tide is sure to turn, boys, so cheer! cheer! cheer! 

There ! You have a hundred pearls ! Beauties, jewels, 

dear! 
Put them in your basket and don't forget to cheer! 
See! Tis glorious noonday — the blue is everywhere — 
The tide has turned for you, ray boys, so cheer! cheer! 

cheer ! 



20 AS THINKin-H A WOMAN 



THE TEST. 

We say that we love the Christ on high 

As we kneel in our pew to pray, 
"While the great choir sings the glory song, 

And read, ''He is risen today!" 
But, how do we know we love the Christ? 

And how much of us is blest? 
Just the part that goes to church to pray ? 

Who holds the plain deed to the rest? 
Have we sent back one bold temptation? 

Of magnetic sin, force and light? 
Have we fled from its glowing, gleaming fire 

Ere it singed onr frail mantle, white? 
When we heard the voice of the Tempter 

In his pleading, persuasive call. 
Bidding us on to abandon joys. 

Did we turn ? or then did we fall ? 
Unless we resist this mystic call 

Of temptations glittering hour 
We claim no kinship with conquering Christ, 

Who slew the bold Tempter's power 
"From Temptation, 0! kindly lead us," 

Is enough for each man to pray. 
When we can turn from its madd'ning bliss 

Then say, "He is risen today." 



KATIE DAFFAN 



21 



TELL ME A STORY. 

(To Elizabeth Day Rees.) 

She climbed into my arms and her gold-brown hair 

Floated softly over my face 
While her beautiful eyes looked up into mine, 

And she said, with innocent grace : 
"I want you to tell me a story, tonight, 

And a long one, please, won 't you, now ? 
About robbers and Indians 'way out West 

And kidnappers, you do know how ! 
You just make it up as you go right along 

And tell me each one that you know. 
Of war and red paint and bold robbers that steal, 

x\nd girls that were lost, long ago." 
I told her of Sherwood and brave Robin Hood, 

And his daring, perilous deeds, 
Of Custer's bold charge and his Indian fights; 

Then of Arabs and their magic steeds. 
I began to create and m eave from my mind, 

Then I told her of everything 
That was weird and mystic and hard to believe, 

Nor to Truth or Fact did we cling. 
Dear, dear little heart, how you do love it all ! 

Those tales so wild and so strange. 
Today life for you is a glorious song; 

I pray God it may never change. 
But that all of your sorrows, terrors and woes 

May be fancies or myths, not real. 
And that Love may send robbers and l)andits, too, 

From your heart all trials to steal. 
May you always rest in Love's fond arms, held tight, 

And the story he tells to you. 
Be holy and sacred and bless your young life- 
No shadows, but rosy light through. 
You beautiful child with the big velvet eyes, 

And heart of the rarest, pure gold, 
I pray Love may give you the best that lie has, 
Ere life's storv to vou is told. 



22 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



WIIiL YOU MARRY ME ? 

"Will you marry me, pretty maiden? 

And come to my home as my wife ? 
I have houses and lands and wheat and rye, 
Silver and gold in a lavish supply, 

These you shall have, all of your life. ' ' 

"You want me to be your wife, kind sir? 

Explain that to me, if you please, 
You say you have lands and silver and gold, 
Houses plantations and jewels untold, 

I would have to pay you for these. 

"I would always have to pay you, sir, 
For gifts from your generous hand, 
You would own my soul, I 'd sell it to you, 
I'd be a possession ray long life through, 
Just like your fine houses and land. 

"I do not eare to accept your price 

Or a one-sided bargain make. 
For I know that Love will come by some day 
To say 'Come along, we'll go the same way. 

And together a fortune make.' 

"Now, what if I were tied down to you? 

"When Love calls thus loudly to me? 
For I'll tell you when Love comes by your doof 
You don't forget, you are his. evermore. 

I thank you, sir, but I think I '11 be free. ' ' 



KATIE DAFFAN 23 



WHY DID YOU NOT CALL ME BACK? 

"0, why did you not call me back? 

Ere I reached that troubled sea 
Of breakers high and treach'rous wind 

Why did you not call to me?" 

"I called and called but you would not hear, 
And you laughed and played and knew no 
fear. ' ' 

"0, why did you not call me back? 

Ere I reached that arid plain 
Where sands are hot and feet grow sorp 

And eyes ache in steady pain?" 

"I called and called, but you went right on 
And seemed not to feel the cactus thorn." 

"0. why did you not call me back? 

p]re 1 reached that mountain high 
Which bristles with sharp stones and burrs 

Yet its summit I did try." 

"I called and called and my echo heard 
As I listened long for a single word." 

"0, why did you not call me back? 

You who knew the dangerous way? 
I would have heard your kindly voice 

And my feet not gone astray." 
"I called and called, but your eyes were blind 
To the footprints I had left behind." 

"Now, when I've crossed each danger place 
And found the sweet rest I need, 



24 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 

Can I forget the tears I've shed? 

Will some wounds e'er cease to bleed?" 

' ' child, I '11 tell you the keen pain of all — 
'Tis to call to one who heeds not our call." 



HER GREY EYES. 

You said those eyes were not lovely eyes 

Until they looked up at you, 
Then you saw the chaste light of her white soul 

For they gave a message pure. 

When her lips did not move, her eyes could say 
Fondest words that you had heard 

And when you went away, you understood, 
Far more than a spoken word. 

Then she went away — and the years went by — 
You've seen all eyes, brown and grey. 

But her velvet eyes with their strong true light, 
Brought Love to your heart that day. 

Her soul looked at you, right into your face. 

In God's-loved, this power lies, 
And where'er you go, in sorrow or joy, 

You'll carry those blessed eyes. 



KATIE DAFFAN 25 



JACK HORNER. 

There's a nursery rhyme we all have oft heard, 

And the hero's name is Jack Horner. 
He had a great pie, and 'twas all filled with 
plums, 
He ate it alone in his corner. 
"He stuck in his thumb and he pulled out a 
plum, ' ' 
Of course he did — how could he help it! 
A wonderful feat this, for Jack to achieve, 

And then, without help, he did eat it. 

» * * * * 

We, all of us, know this brave knight of pie fame, 

He roams wildly, today, o'er our land. 
All that he does is to pull out sugar plums 

From the plum pies not made by his hand. 
Then he loudly exults and begs the old world 

To reward him for eating its pie, 
But the world moves on and looks never once back 

To hear, "See, what a good boy am I !" 



26 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



FOUR INFLUENCES. 

He was poor; and when on Fortune he called 

Her time was all occupied, 
So many were waiting ahead of him 

That her presence was denied. 

On Fame next he called ; but found she was 
gone 

To her Temple gate that day 
To receive her loved knights in royal state. 

Who had won in battle fray. 

At the door of Work he called in despair, 

He at once wa.s ushered in, 
"If you'll follow me, wherever I lead, 

T will make you proudly win." 

He agreed, and on in madness he rushed. 
While the years rolled o'er and o'er, 

He never rested, he never once stopped, 
At last, two called at his door. 

The first was a da)ne in gorgeous attire 

Of jewels and gold and lace, 
"I'vi' brought you a fortune for what you've 
done, 

For yours was a swift, wild race." 

Then, the stately maid with a record book. 
Said. "I've come to take your name, 

I've a place for you and the world shall know 
I am slow, for I am Fame." 

When these went away, gentle Love came in, 
And he said, "I've come to stay, 



KATIE DAFFAN 27 

You've worked for those two and have passed 
me by, 
Come with me ! do not delay. ' ' 

And he thought no more of Fortune or Fame. 

Though they came and came again, 
In Love's fond arms he lived all his years, 

His doors barred 'gainst care and pain. 



COME TO MY ARMS. 

When the bright stars open their twinkling eyes 

To announce that evening is here, 
'Tis then that I miss and need you. dear heart. 

Come ! dispel the loneliness, dear. 

As the gentle night spreads her warm, strong 
arms, 

Roinid the earth and holds it so tight, 
I look into the dark to find your face. 

And to hear your blest footfall light. 

When the fire-glow shadows dance on the wall. 

While I sit in your dear arm chair, 
T send my heart out, a messenger swift. 

To call you to come to me there. 

Come to my arms in the evening hour 

When your toil and your stress are through, 

Hold me close! read my quick heart, ev'ry line. 
As it throbs loud and swells for you ! 



28 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



I LOVE YOU. 

T have had a letter each day of this week 
Bright and sparkling, and fond words, too, 

But they were dead letters, all flat and all dull, 
'Cause I didn't have one from you. 

And I 've had fine flowers each day of this week, 
The "Beauties," all fresh with the dew, 

But they were not sweet and they hung down 
their heads, 
They wanted to come from you. 

Then I went for a drive o'er the hills away. 

It is called a glorious view. 
But I saw not a thing in those scenes so grand, 

Since 1 wanted to be with you. 

Your's are the dear letters that I love to read, 
Your sweet roses my heart can woo, 

I would ride with you to the end of the world 
For I love you! you know that I do. 



THE RED ROSE OP PASSION. 

The red rose of Passion with poison is filled, 

And its thorn and nettle, great courage has stilled. 

But this deadly rose, though its poison is sure, 
"When it dies in the stinging, hearts grow more pure. 

"To live we must die," so, from ashes and dust. 
Blooms the flow'r of constancy, real peace and trust. 

Though far from Trove's glory, this oft is the way. 
For pricked lives to journey from dark night to day. 



KATIE DAFPAN 29 



THE PRACTICE HOUR. 

"Have you practiced your hour, today, my dear? 

You can 't run to play 'til you do, 
Be careful and count every measure to me, 
Go slowly, and bring out the clear melody. 

Work away, you soon will be through. 

"Don't skim along, child, and don't go very fast, 

Music can't be learned in a day. 
If you practice at all, please do the thing well. 
In a very short time your efforts will tell. 

Practice good, then go to your play." 
***** 

I "practiced my hour" and "went out to play," 

I was "careful," "counted it through." 

I've tried to bring out every sweet melody. 

But a minor strain always there seems to be, 

I've not "skimmed along," I am sure. 

At first it was joyous ! great sport and all bright, 

And I couldn't play there enough. 
But the grounds are filled with Ambition and 

Power, 
And some, I have found, have not "practiced 
their hour," 
And the games are all long and rough. 

As I go along and play all of my part, 

I stop still, sometimes, just to ask. 
What made me impatient to hurry on through 
To get in this game here ? aren 't you tired, too ? 

But we both must finish our task. 

We'll worry along 'til the game is over, 

This feverish game we are in. 
But is it the one who has practiced his hour. 
Performed his full duty, all in his power. 

Who always in Life's game will win? 



30 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



WORK. 

Work is the God-soul, high and fine, 

Work is His answer to prayer 
Work is reward for faithful work 

Work, His expression of care. 
Work is the balm that soothes a wound, 

Work is the strong, steadfast friend. 
Work is the strength that bids men on. 

Work hastens their journey's end. 

Work is iron to human blood. 

Work is the spur to the mind. 
Work is the gold that kills the dross. 

Work, the crown of all mankind. 
Work is the heaven to human needs, 

Work is the armor of right. 
Work is the gate to heavenly thrones, 

Work is Nature's Law of Might. 



THE GIRL WHO WILL NOT TELL. 

Here's to the girl who never will tell 
A secret — she's stately and tall. 

I drink a deep glass, and feel secure ; 
She's marble and stands in our hall 



KATIE DAPFAN 31 



A DREAM. 



As I sat in my room one sweet spring night, 

All at once, my wall was ablaze with light. 

In front of me stood a beautiful child 

Wlio, with voice clear and true, in accent mild, 

Said, *'Come with me now, and don't stop or wait, 

We must hurry on or we'll be too late." 

I gathered my cloak 'round my shouldere bare 

And followed him into the cold night air. 

We went through the town and before I knew 

We were into the hills, my child guide flew. 

Because he had wings ; I could see ahead. 

And he called back to me, ''Be quick," he said. 

We soon reached a door where I ne 'er had been. 

Which my child guide opened and entered in. 

He .said, ''Walk lightly, go straight to the bed, 

In your firm, round arms, take his golden head. 

Hold him and kiss him and tell him again 

The sweet story you love, 'twill soothe his pain." 

The sick child's eyes when they looked into mine 

Gleamed into my soul with a light divine. 

And I held him close 'til his big, blue eyes 

Closed, to open again in Paradise. 

When I quickly looked 'round to find my guide, 

Lo, he was gone and no door was ope ' wide. 

Was he a spirit or I in a dream? 

Could it be fancy? too real did it seem. 

As I looked again on the dead child's face 

There I saw my child guide in Death's embrace. 

The dead child's spirit had come to my room 

And bid me go out through darkness and gloom. 

To see it fly forth to freedom and rest 

And heaven, where children are loved the best. 

Dawn was breaking the East and peeping in 

The chamber where the Death angel had been. 

So I smoothed back the curls and kissed the face 



32 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 

Of him who had led me to God's changing place, 

"Whose wandering spirit, white winged, had flown, 

But he left a thought ere I was alone, 

And this is the thought I found on my heart, 

I'll come for you when you've finished your part, 

Which is telling to all the Christ-love pure. 

Be ye ready and waiting, steadfast and true. 



IMY THRONE ROOM. 

I've been visiting today, I have just returned 

Prom my far-aw^ay castle in Spain ; 
A contract I signed, with my architect there 

For a new room, and it shall remain. 
I've torn down some rooms in my castle in Spain, 

And changed citadel, wall and tower; 
But this is the last, no more changes I'll make, 

For a King shall live there with great power. 

He is noble and gentle and strong and just, 

King of kindness and service, indeed. 
And I'll go ev'ry morning to this throne room. 

To hear over and over his creed, 
And the creed that he teaches is Love! Love! 
Ijove I 

For all living things under the sun, 
For all that God made that can see and feci. 

And He'll rule 'til ray serving is done. 



KATIE DiVPFAN 38 



THE PINE TREE 'S SONG. 

Hear the pine tree sing the still night long. 

A dismal, lonesome, dolorous song. 

He sings along in a plaintive strain 

And sad thoughts come with his weird refrain. 

He moans and sighs and whispers to you 

Of false times when you could have been true. 

The love you thought was buried so deep 

Sits by your side a vigil to keep. 

For memory's voice is loud and strong 

And the pine tree knows your cruel wrong. 

There's that open gate you hurried by, 

And this makes the old tree sob and sigh. 

That day, by a word you could have kept 

Her heart from breaking, but your heart slept. 

The tree know^s all of these bitter things. 

So a mournful hymn he softly sings. 

In no tones of gladness, peace or joy, 

Penitent hours are his to employ. 

You're lonely and sad when the old tree sings, 

For a quick remorse he softly brings. 

He wails for a time, then shrieks at you. 

And he's sore distressed the still night through. 

And each pine note in accent and word, 

Is the still small voice which will be heard. 



34 AS thini<j;th a woman 



I DWELL ALONE WITH MY HEART. 

And so you have come to tell me 

That you saw him again, last night, 

And he begged you to tell him of me 
To prove that he always was right? 

After yeai-s of long, weary absence 

He is now a man among men. 
Coming back again to hear of me — 

It is different, now and then. 

He well knows that I can not see him 
And uncover the dark, dead past, 

For 'tis dangerous sport to turn back time 
Or to play with an hourglass. 

And you say, I know that he loves me. 
He has proven it long and well, 

Of his long, long years of devotion 
The kind villagers love to tell ? 

And you think I'm a heartless woman? 

Just a cruel and nameless thing? 
Or I'd calJ him back to claim his own 

And again let Love's anthems ring? 

Now, my dear, let me tell you something 
That I want you to surely know — 

Could I give up the love of my life 
And let a cherished idol go 

'Less my tired heart had good reason? 

He was my life — all things to me. 
I love him now as I loved him then. 

As I will in Eternitv. 



KATIE DAFFAN 35 

But an ugly place came to his love, 

A bold imperfection I saw, 
And could I give the best in me 

For what held such a cruel flaw? 

I expected Love in its beauty 

Without a flesh stain or a sear 
With never deceit or twofold act, 

My belief in his love to mai-. 

My love for him was as purest gold, 
He swayed me, always, at his will. 

But I know I must never see him 
Since I love him — I love him still. 

Once to look into his well-loved eyes, 

Again to be near to his side. 
Pride and resolve would soon melt away, 

And the old love would reach full tide. 

So. this I know, he must stay away. 

AVe must ever live wide apart. 
For, unless I have Love's perfect hloom, 

I will dM'ell alone with my heart. 



36 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



NOT SO, OMAR KHAYYAM. 

"The moving finger writes, and having writ 
Moves on ; nor all your piety nor Avit 

Shall lure it back to cancel half a line 
Nor all your tears wash out a word of it." 

— Omar Khayyam 

Now, Omar, why do you thus write of Fate? 
Know you not that it can ne 'er be too late 
To start again and go back all the way, 
And walk the path that finds the narrow gate? 

If "moving fingers write," they can erase 
Ev'ry line thej' write; and in their old place 
Of sins long past and dead, bid us look up 
And start again, afresh, a swifter race. 

"Nor all your piety nor wit," nor mine 
"Shall lure it back to cancel half a line," 

Why, all are His, the piety, the wit. 
He unmakes and creates, with skill divine. 

"Nor all your tears wash out a word"; each tear 
Belongs to Him ; and so, each grief and fear. 

As do our pages, whether writ or white 
If He can write, a blur He can make clear. 

Your wisdom taught your mystic Persian race 
Their melancholy view of soul and space. 

But your dark view lives not in us today. 
Our Christ-bought hearts are not its dwelling 
place. 

'Tis not too late to start again and write. 
For tears wash out and make our pages white, 

And He who knows we want to try again 
Gives a new page, and pen and surer light. 



KATIE DAFPAN 



37 



THE ELECTRIC ANSWER. 

"I am going tonight to find hiiu. — 

I care not where he may be — 
O 'er desert and river and mountain, 

Or continent, ocean or sea, 

For he called to me in the night time, 
In the cold, calm turn of the night, 

To come to him quickly and surely. 
Ere he passed to the gleaming light 

Of that land which lies in the distance, 

Which silently beckons him on. 
And each moment is taking him from me, 

Let me hasten or he will be gone ! ' ' 

In the darkness of night she journeyed 
O'er the hills, through the purple plain. 

O'er mountain paths, broken, hard, rough and 
steep, 
On, into a narrow lane, 

Which led to a soldier's quiet camp, 

Nor was any voice near to guide 
Her hurrying feet and responsive heart 

As she found the soldier's side. 

"You've come! Oh, God, for I called to you 
To come ! Let me feel you near. 

Your arras, your lips, my head on your breast. 
Now Death has never a fear!" 

He slept in her arms, a tired child, 

Till the loving, gentle moon 
Disappeared in the dark of the dawn hour 

And the dav waxed on toward noon. 



38 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 

But not imtil twilight had gathered 
Did he look in her tender face 

And lo, Death had passed, for Strength had 
come 
In the warmth of Love's embrace. 

The greedy monster was conquered 
As he reached for the faint, frail breath, 

For a man's soul called to Love to come, 
And Love can conquer Death ! 



LOVE IS A MAGNETIC BATTERY. 

Love is a circle and does not begin ; 

Therefore, it can have no end — 
When once you get into this ring complete 

There you are ! its course you can't bend. 

AH kinds and conditions are held tberein ; 

There is room for every one — 
A magnetic circle which draws with force, 

Its sparks fly bright as the sun. 

'Tis a mystic, magic, dynamic belt. 

And nobody can get out. 
If they could, they would try to come right back. 

For magnets attract, never doubt. 

Love is a battery — charged with i)ower — 
"VMiich controls the world, each part. 

If you try to resist, it draws the more. 
And its needles I)urn vour heart. 



KATIE DAPFAN 39 



FORGIVEN. 

I forgive you all; all that you have dune, 
This battle hard, long, long ago, I won, 

You, who in years agone, did hurt me so. 
Myself, I can not, can not e'er forgive 
'Twill rest o'er me a spectre while I live 

Unmoved 'til Death himself shall bid me go. 

Forgiven you? Of course, why, years ago. 
Can't you feel it? Can't your dear senses know 

That not one other thought lives in my breast? 
Then, come to me, I love you as of old. 
We can not change our heart's enduring gold — 

The old love throbs and thrills and will not rest. 

Because I love you; that explains it all. 
Today I'd follow blindly at your call. 

Right now I want you here, today, tonight, 
Neglect and anger I remember not ; 
Reproaches, silence, all I have forgot — 

What are these to Love's o'erpow'ring might? 

Come back, my own, these arms are held to you. 
Come back, dear he;)rt. I wait the long day 
through, 

For you who long ago did leave me here. 
Day fades ! start now, the moon will give you light. 
Night comes ! wait not, the stars will guide aright. 

Come in' von '11 find me waiting, have no fearf 



40 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



THE CARNIVAL. 

I stopped at the carnival ball last night, 
'Twas a brillant, daz.zling, gorgeous sight. 
Festoons were draped from ceiling and wall 
And a thousand lights gleamed in the hall. 
In this reign supreme of Frolic and Fun 
Queer things transpired ere the dance was begun. 
For devils and spirits and goblins were there, 
With soldiers, ladies and fairies fair. 
They all wore gay masks and each seemed to be 
Joyous and happy — from thought set free. 
From the sheen of satin and glint of lace, 
The sparkle of gems in this mystic place, 
It would seem the gates of Trouble and Care 
Had closed, and none were entering there. 
The masks were all smiling, the dancers bowed. 
And passed and passed in the mazy crowd, 
hitrolling and wandering these fantasies did. 
None knew the other, all faces were hid. 
And I thought, our lives are a great mask ball. 
Those we know best, we don 't know at all ; 
We see a bright face, all glad smiles and jest, 
When, in that soul, may be life's cruel test. 
We look in a face that is cold and hard 
And Love may on that life hold happy guard, 
And often a face may look strong and true. 
But the heart is black the whole way through. 
Then, there's that foul mask, we call it Deceit. 
The oldest mask, but not obsolete. 
And here's a masker, just masked for the day, 
Tomorrow a change he will display. 
At the close of the ball, masks are removed. 
The features of each, then, may be proved. 
But we all find out, ere Life's ball's at an end, 
Wliat ma.sks are worn, on whom to depend. 



KATIE DAFFAN 41 



A FLIRTATION. 

It. is over now^that flirtation — • 

And the girl is going away, 
A fond good-bye and a tight-clasped hand 

Brought the curtain down on the play. 
She began it all. a thing of the head, 

It ended, a thing of the heart. 
Intellect bowed low to emotion. 

That's how well she played her part. 

She had no thought that this could be, 

That her wings could be scorched in flame. 
In control supreme her feelings she'd held 

And at any time could reclaim. 
But the woman who thinks her armor bright 

Can send back a direct dart 
From a heart that is noble and higli and true 

Is worshipping a false art. 

I know veiy well what I'm talking about. 

And I am ashamed to tell. 
It was vanity — just to see if she could. 

I suppose — it has served her well. 
Playing with fire is a dangerous thing. 

Everything that it touches it chars. 
And when you play with the fire of a life 

You are burned, so expect the scars. 

I have told you of one flirtation, 

A certain way it may end — 
By learning that love is the soul of you. 

And against it you needn't contend. 
NoAV, you who are so independent. 

And think pride will bear you thnmgh ; 
You are wrong, for pride goes fast asleep 

When this lesson comes home to yon. 



42 AS THINKETII A WOMAN 



.MISUNDERSTOOD. 

The saddest, cruelest things I've seen, 

And I'd help them all, if I could, 
Are not the griefs from a harsh word spoken. 
Or the tender ties of love, rudely broken ; 

They are from being misunderstood. 

If we could live our lives again 

And change them as we would. 
There's just one privilege I'd like to take, 
And 'tis an omission I'd like to make. 

The times I've been misinidorstood. 

There are times wlien I've done my very best, 

On hard things when 1 thought I should, 
When my motive was pure, my purpose sincere. 
When I worked very hard and a bad place was there 
And my best strength was misunderstood. 

And then when I didn't tiy at all. 

When Good Luck and Dame Fortun(^ would, 
They showed their bright faces and left with me 
The brightest, best gifts you would care to see, 

These, too. two misunderstood. 

I Avould like to go back and untangle the threads 

Of the ones who are pure and good: 
Smooth out the hard places and make it all plain ; 
Pour oil on the wounds, for great is the pain 

Of being misunderstood. 

I suppose it will ail come right in the end. 

But I'd change it now if I could, 
And bring those together who've wandered away 
From not knowing the motive, the act or the-way 

Hearts ache when misunderstood. 



KATIE D-VPPAN 43 



CERTAIN CONVERSION. 

I've wondered and wondered — of course, we all 
have — 

If I was God's, and surely elected. 
I want to kjiotv that I 'ni His, never to doubt, 

Being chosen, promoted, selected. 

This thing has been talked by men wise and old, 
Change of heart and desire to be better. 

But. when all of your life, you've tried to be 
good, 
Have you reasoned this out to the letter? 

I crave to know ivell, to be strongly convinced 
Of the thing that I ought to believe. 

So, I worked out this problem, simple and plain, 
That woeful doubt it may quickly relieve. 

There's one certain sign and it never does fail. 
So, put your faith in never another. 

When we are God's own and He waits for our 
souls, 
AA'hile we are here, we'll love one another. 



44 AS TIIINKETH A WOMAN 



EXAMPLE. 

One day a sweet child said to me, 

"I want to be just like you. 
To do, to talk, to look, to act, 

Just like you, my long life through." 

"My dear, dear, child," I said to her, 
' * That 's because you love me so. 

My faults are great, I'm frail and weak, 
I often faint as I go. 

' ' You must do better things and more ; 

Hold Love's torch in your hand. 
Give to the world that good which is yours, 

That will strengthen you to stand." 

I thought, then, what example is. 
We sway lives and do not know. 

How pure and true our light shoukl be 
As down the dark path we go. 



GOD'S MESSENGERS. 

Did you ever think, as you go along, 

How the mourning affects the day? 
A bright, cheerful word, wdth loving ring, 
A little encouragement, that's the thing. 
Will help us all so on the way ? 

I think the ones who encouragement give. 

Bring sweet messages straight from God. 
He knows how we struggle and watch and wait. 
And the road is long that winds to His gate, 

And bv those Hp loves it is trod. 



KATIE DAPFAN 45 



ASHES TO ASHES. 

"Ashes to ashes," and "dust to dust" 

I heard again today 
As the lifeless form of a loved one 

Was tenderly laid away- — 
Laid away in the darlmess, 

In a gloomy, deep, shadowy place, 
The hands we had loved, the lips we had pressed 

And the form that had felt our embrace. 

And T thought how strange that this is so, 

The body must pass away. 
One so near to us, a part of ourselves. 

Must perish and soon decay — 
And then this thought came straight to me 

As I watched that grave filled in. 
We've buried a "tenement house" today, 

A dwelling place where a soul had been, 

Dwelling and resting a space of years 

In a tenement made of clay, 
But the soul grew weary, the house grew old, 

And it cared not longer to stay, 
' ' We all have souls ; there 's another life 

After death" you hear men contend. 
But this is what it means to me. 

We are all soul — there can be no end. 

The soul journeys on and travels afar. 

But the tenement house must fall; 
Earth claims what is hers, the ashes and dust, 

The .soul hears a mighty call. 
Death is a clianging place, I think ; 

Just a place for the soul to leave 
One habitation, another to find. 

And, after all, 'tis for dust that we grieve. 



46 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 

And why should we weep for what is not there ? 

For only dust and decay ? 
Her radiant form has found a new home. 

Why be sad? She is glad today. 



SLEIGH BELLS. 

I 'm thinking today, as the snow falls fast, 

Of another day in the far off past, 

A day that I prayed should forever last — 

Wliile the snow fell, the sleigh bells were 
ringing. 

There were sharp wintry winds and ice and snow, 
But what cared we? for our love was aglow 
With holy fire, for right well did we know 
We alone for each other were living. 

Prom his fine grey eyes beamed a tender ray — 
The blood in my heart was afire that day — • 
Love was our guide and he led all the way. 
Of my beauty and grace he kept singing. 

His voice comes back to me o'er and again. 
My heart bleeds anew with its cold, hard pain, 
God of Love, why could he not here remain 
By my side? Life is empty existing. 

Time stops when I hear the silver sleigh bells. 
The bleak, dead future their music foretells, 
Of my life, which in dark emptiness dwells, 
For the rare gold of Love it is missing. 

And T pray, dear, today, as the snow falls light, 
Covering your grave with its mantle so white. 
Kind Father, be near, and keep me in Thy sight ; 
All alone. I am. but for Thv blessing. 



KATIE DAFFAN 47 



GOD'S MATE. 



What do you think of a loveless life? 

Of a life that has no meaning 'i 
Of a woman who watches and wishes and waits 
For a soul responsive to open the gates 

And start the love light beaming? 

What do you think of a wonmn so fair 

Of a woman so sweet and so gentle, 
Of a woman with purity, wisdom and truth, 
Crowned with the halo and blossom of youth, 
And her soul alone in its temple? 

Great men have loved her many a day, 
And would give their lives at her pleasure, 

But her soul can not find 

The great love to unwind 

The mystery than clings to her treasure. 

Are great souls ever mated down here? 

It makes me tremble and wonder. 
Souls that speak when far apart. 
Lives that are lived, heart unto heart, 

Understood, no doubt, or censure. 

I think God placed a few souls on earth 

And gave them His intuition ; 
No response to their calls — they must be alone. 
He is their mate, they are His own, 

His love is their souls' fruition. 



48 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



MUSIC THAT I LOVE. 

I have heard the old world music 

In opera, park and hall, 
From German, French, Italian, 

The great masters, one and all, 
I have heard the deep pipe organs 

With wondrous melody ring. 
To voices sweet in glad acclaim 

In ''Gloria" to the King. 

The soul-dec]) notes that I have heard 

That lie closest to my heart, 
Are old songs that my mother sang, 

And from these I can not part. 
She sang the songs of her girlhood, 

Of "The Soldiers Marching By," 
"The Faded Jacket," "Old Black Joe," 

And the "Comin' Thro' the Rye." 

And on the dark wintei- evenings. 

Together we all would sing, 
"Kentucky Home," "!\[y Maryland," 

Till the halls would loudly ring. 
Then in softest, sacred accents 

"When, so tired, on her breast 
She crooned that sweet old cradle song, 

"Hush, my dear, lie still and rest." 

In my girlhood as in childhood. 

And today I love them still. 
No grand music ever written 

Can, with me, their places fill. 
When the angel choirs in rapture 

Peal out holy anthems strong, 
I'll know 'tis heaven, for her singing 

Songs I've loved and missed so long. 



KATIE DAPFAN 49 



THE SLANDER DEALP3R. 

(Proverbs 10-18.) 
The one who utters a slanderous word, 

Who permits it to pass his lips, 
Does far greater wrong than the one accused, 
Yes, far greater wrong, for Truth is abused, 

When this stagnant poison he sips. 

When Scandal is dealt to a willing ear, 

It grows 'til it reaches great state, 
He who first dealt it could scarce recognize 
The first dealing, for so great is its size. 
Each dealer must add to its weight. 

And some minds seem to grow fat upon this, 

Fruit of Passion, Evil and Crime, 
And tell it as though it were good to hear, 
A thing to be prized, held jealously dear, 
A slanderer has much idle time. 

Who comes to repeat a slander to me 

I do not consider a friend, 
Though I live in the world where such ones live 
My ear and my time I never will give. 

This mv creed shall be to the end. 



50 AS TlllNKETJl A WOMAN 



FIRST IMPRESSIOiNS. 

An angel voice once whispered to me 

At night, as I lay in bed, 
His robe was white and his wings were bright, 

And this is just what he said : — 
"I have come to guard and to keep you, 

Prom Doubt's course to make you free, 
And what 'er you do, I '11 guide you through, 

For you 've sheltering love in me. ' ' 
I begged of him, then, please to tell me, 

Why I needed his watchful care, 
"Enemies four now lurk at your door, 

I '11 keep them away from there. 
Yes. AVorry, Doubt, Hate and Suspicion, 

These four must be kept away. 
When they are about, Life is without 

Its sweetness — you are their prey. 
First impressions that come to your mind, 

Are my voice, speaking to you. 
Act, then! don't wait, or 'twill be too late, 

First impressions are the true!" 
The first impressions made uu my licart. 

Are ones that I keep with me. 
If I depart, I pay with my heart, 

Mv angel made the decree. 



KATIE DAPFAN 51 



LOVE'S CAPRICE. 

I heard a man proclaim today 

"There's no telling what Love may do !" 
In these few lines please let me say 

I indorse that, for it is true. 
Love's choicest game is blind-man's-buff, 

We follow wherever he leads, 
Some roads are smooth, some hard and rough, 

Flowers growing right with the weeds. 

You'd think that Love would pick the flowers, 

And leave weeds to wither and die, 
But both have felt the April showers 

And grown up sturdy, strong and high. 
Love ties lilies with bitter weed, 

Sweet roses with bramble and tare — 
No use to call, Love will not heed — 

He likes to be blind and don't care. 



THE WOMAN EFFEMINATE. 

Here's to her, the woman effeminate, 

Modest, innocent, pure and sweet, 
Who cares not to look or act like a man 

But content his real love to meet. 
May she live on this good earth forever, 

As his mother, sweetheart and wife ; 
May every good man here possess her 

And adore hor all of his life. 



52 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



DOES GOD KNOW? 

I wonder, sometimes, if God really knows 

All the little things that perplex us, 
The pricking trials and worries and woe — 
Things we don 't tell, yet they take root and 
grow — 
And become a sin that besets us. 

I wonder, again, if He cares to hear 

All griefs and all cares that o'ertake us, 
The joys and the pleasures to us so dear, 
The sorrows and heart aches we all so fear. 
Is He always ready to help us? 

I wonder, sometimes, if He does not know 

That great things in life do not vex us— 
A heavy burden down here below 
May be endured, we have proved it so — 
'Tis the little pin-prick that hurts us. 

Then, Gentle Father in Heaven, I pray, 

Please, safely and surely Thou keep us 
From the little wound that comes today, 
From the trifling sting that stings to stay ; 
Far from these, please, safely remove us. 



KATIE DAFFAN 53 



WINTER. 



I gazed outside on the cold, grey sky, 

On frozen grass and naked trees. 
So bare and so bleak, and everywhere 

Lurked the breath of the ice cold breeze. 
Icicles hang from the high North eaves, 

King Winter sits well on his throne, 
His hoary touch with his long, bare hands 

Show his heart is cold as a stone. 

The lilac hedge is hard with the ice, 

And the lily stalks are quite dead — 
Strong rose vines are nipped, the mosses black. 

Only ivy holds up its head. 
And this is winter ! that some love best, 

With its crystals of ice and snow. 
But give me the balm of summer time, 

When Life sings and all Nature's aglow. 



THE GIRL WHO HAS BEE.X KISSED. 

Here's to the girl who has >iercr been kissed, 

And who poses as i)uritanic ; 
She never will know just what sIk" has missed, 

And she's sadly, bady fanatic. 
Here's to the girl who has of tot been kissed — 

Who has drunk of Love's own eliptic ; 
And she loves the culprit who boldly risked 

Her great anger in couraee mvstie. 



54 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



LET HIM GO. 



Do not stop your beau when he starts to h^ave, 

And beg him longer to stay. 
Let him go right on when he first starts out — 

This is the sensible way. 
You beg him to stay and of course he will, 

And he comes back, takes a seat. 
The charm flies ; for thoughts, when spoken 
well once, 

AVe should not try to repeat. 

Keep him aglow 'til the going point. 

Let your tact and culture blend. 
Then when he is gone he will feel the spell, 

And wish Time could have no end. 
When we like a thing, we want too much. 

You'd like him to stay, I know. 
But when he once gets up and takes his hat. 

Be sure that von let him go. 



TO THE OLI)-EASHIO.\F.I) (URL. 

Here's to the girl, who, at Ijrcakfast time. 

Is fresh as a morning rose — 
Whose "womanhood spreads its gloi'ies at hoiii(> 

AVho cultivates love's repose. 
0, you fair-faced, bright-eyed, old-fashioned girl 

I seek you on land and sea ; 
I drink to your heart, may I find you soon. 

You can make a man of me. 



KATIE DAFFAN 55 



YOUR PRESENrE. 

As the dewy April mornings 

Bless the earth when winter's gone, 
As the golden crown and scepter 

Royal kings and queens adorn. 
As lilies lift their snowy heads 

Higher up to see the sun. 
As the grain, all ripe and mellow. 

Waits for harvest time to come. 
As the glorious evening cometh 

After noonday's heated hour, 
When the twilight gently mantles, 

And the birds all seek their bower, 
So, your presence is to me, dear. 

As the freshest day in spring. 
And your ling 'ring, gentle kisses 

Make me happier than a king. 
Your form is like the lily — fair, 

Heart of gold! my soul you charm. 
And I wait, like grain in autumn. 

To be gathered in vour arm. 



56 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



SUICIDE. 



A lovely woman with love a full share 
And a life that to all seemed complete. 

Severed the ties that bound her to the earth, 
Gave up all that my heart would think meet. 

What lives in the heart and rules in the mind, 
When a motive like this one comes in. 

None of vis know ; but our good God knows well, 
And His great love will pardon this sin. 

He knew why she did it, she told Him first, 

She was tired and ready to go, 
She felt His great h.ve and craved to be near. 

And her journey of years was so slow. 

.And I know it is right with God in heaven. 

Who, since He made us, must love us all. 
He knows we are weak, our strength often fails. 

And He's ready, always, for our call. 

A mystery, yes, but we must not say, 
' ' She has lost her own soul by her hand, ' ' 

God knows what we crave and need and have, 
She was God's, and He will understand. 



KATIE DAFFAN 57 



BE GOOD, littlp: gikl. goodbye. 

"Be good, little girl, good-bye," 

I heard that every day 
From ray mother when I went to school 
With bag and books and slate and rule, 

And it helped me on the way. 

"Be good, little girl, good-bye." 

When on a long journey I'd go. 
"Take care of yourself and write to me; 
Don't stay very long, for don't you see 

When you're gone T miss you so." 

"Be good, little girl, good-bye," 

She said when she went away, 
And I sat very near and held her hand 
While she silently passed to a ha[)pier land, 

And alone she went that day. 

"Be good, little girl, good-bye.'' 

Oh, mamma, darling ! not now. 
Stay with me just a few little years; 
Let me love you and kiss away all your tears. 

Then to God's will T can bow. 

"Be good, little girl, good-bye" — 

Oh, the tenderness of that phrase ! 
It calls to me sweetly when troubles are near 
It lightens the burdens now so hard to bear 
And leads me to prayer and to praise. 

[ try to be good, but 'tis liard, viM-y hard, 

And my soul gives a wail and a cry. 
But whatever shadows my life shall shut in, 
Those sweet, loving words will keep away sin — 
"Be good, little girl, hood-bye." 



58 AS TIIINKETJI A WOMAN 



SOLITUDE. 



Solitude! boon to the tired inind! 

Sweet Peace to the soul disturbed, 
Field for the mind to sow its best grain, 

When Fancy need not be curbed. 

When mem'iy is still we start to build 
The structures our souls demand. 

And we Uiok ahead to see it true. 
The work of our lieart and hand. 

Here grave Solitude does her best work, 

And you pledge as ne'er before 
To build each day on your soul 's chief work. 

Which will last forever more. 

These hours of silence, all alone 

W^ith ourselves should be oft wooed. 

They steady us. stay us, make us strong, 
Come often, Solitude ! 



THE CHARM OF TUK SPEAKER. 

"So he talked ^vith flaiiiin.u' life and sti'cngthT 
The best speech you ever heard? 

You don't Icnow what it was all about? 
You can't t(>ll a. single word?" 

"Well, ev'rything that he said was good. 

His message was all direct, 
In each sentence a lesson I found. 

The whole had magic effect." 

"You don't knoiv the charm of this speaker? 
How you sat 'neath rapt conti-ol ? 



KATIE DAPFAN 50 

Why, each word came straight from his manly 
heart, 
And his thoughts reached from his soul ! 

It is soul that leaps from man to man, 
That lives, though all else be dead, 

Soul is the god-fire, sacred and white, 
The flame bv which men are led." 



WHEN I\IY WORK IS ENDED. 

When my life-work is counted and ended, 
And my hands have nothing to do, 

When the Master my work has commended, 
And my trials and cares are through. 

When I look down the past with no sadness, 
No regret, no pain and no tears. 

When I reconcile all of the madness 

That has come to me. through the years. 

Then, I will know the meaning of sorrow. 

And why all of this had to be. 
Why the dread of each coming tomorrow 

Came on with its pain to me. 

The grey veil will be then gently lifted, 
The pale light that has guarded my way 

Will at last pierce the dark shadows rifted 
That separate marble and clay. 

So, I bow to each strange new heartache 
As they come in such rapid line. 

For that Light guides ine on. never changing, 
To Glorious Peace to be mine. 



tiO AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



THE POSTMAN'S WHISTLE. 

Have you heard the Postnian 's whistle ? 

I wonder why he is late 1 
Nine o'clock, ten, now ten-thirty, 

And he has not passed our gate. 

There he is ! there conies the Postman ! 

Don't you love to hear his call ? 
My letter! I know he brought it. 

Leave it there, right in th(^ hall. 

I'll get it! and don't you touch it. 

No eye but mine shall see 
— The Postman reads my name, of course- 

What he has written to me. 

"Coming up on Sunday morning, 
To stay 'til the evening train ! ' ' 

Don't you know I love that Postman 
And want him to come again ? 

When he brings me news so welcome. 

The letter I long to see, 
His old grey coat and his whistle 

Hold golden power for me. 



KATIE DAFFAN 61 



'FHE END OF THE DAY. 

Tonight, all alone in my chamber 

I go over the busy day 
To renew each deed and spoken word — 
• Good and bad, now all flown away. 

I've laughed and I've danced and sung 
ev'ry hour, 

Tn the maddest, merriest mood, 
No sound of tears or pain did I heed, 

Though I heard and I understood. 

So, the thought that makes me saddest, 

As I go on with this review. 
Is of things that I have left undone 

Gone now, and I can not renew. 



TO LOVE WHEN HE IS LATE. 

Here 's to Love when he idly wanders along 

And knows not how to hasten. 
But loiters each day in his own sweet way, 

Ardent Passion and Hope to chasten. 

He knows when it is well to stop by the way, 

'Til we grow sadly a 'weary. 
Then his own mystic wine gives rapture divine, 

And we forget the long days so dreary. 

0, the advent of Love, blest hour and pure, 

Of Life, Love is the essence, 
I adore your art, and I drink from my heart, 

To the first time I felt your presence. 



62 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



MEMORIAL DAY. 

Every grave had been covered with roses, 
Some few had been mounded high, 

A little girl stood "neath the willoAv's shade, 
As tlie troops ■went marching by. 

*'Are you lost, little girl,"' the Ca})tain asked, 

As he hurried to her side, 
■'You are here all alone, 'twill soon be dark, 

Stop that carriage! You can ride!" 

"But I can't go now," she lisped out to him, 
"I have runned off, all the way, 

Thej^ are both of them hei'e and 1 know where, 
So 1 am going to stay." 

She ran swiftly down the vista of trees 

To a grave that yet looked new. 
"Here, this one is hers and that's little Jo's, 

My mamma, I've come to you. 

"I'm lonesome and tired, I've broke my doll, 

We can't play now, like before. 
I miss you so, but I try to be good; 

Come lioiue! Don't leave us no more." 

The captain knelt chnvn by the little girl, 
While he prayed an earnest pray'r 

For mem 'ry turned back the pages of years 
And he read his own name there. 

When he kissed the sweet, pale mother face, 

As she smiled and wept the day 
That he went away to new home and scenes, 

And since then — she went awav. 



KATIE DAFFAN 63 

In his arms he held the sweet, tired ehild, 
And pressed her close to his heart, 

He knew what it was, he had felt the pain, 
Life dealt to them the same part. 



LOVE'S TEiMPLE. 

He is tall and strong, like the Roman old, 
Grey eyes and hair like the night ; 

I love him far more than I like to tell, 
Mnch more than is fair or right. 

And I think of mnch to tell him abont, 

AVhen he's gone from me away: 
Bnt when I am with him and by his side, 

We speak not a word all day. 

I don't want to love him — natures as mine 
Shonldn't love, they burn too deep; 
They consume their strength, but I pray to live, 
Love's vigil with him to keep. 

I love him! My soul and body cry out 

In anguish, tender despair. 
To be pressed to his heart, held to his breast, 

Is life! Love's temple is there. 



64 AS THINKETII A WOMAN 



THE LAND OF OLD AGE. 

Do you ever think of the land of old age, 

To which land you may surely go ? 
It lies all about us at every turn, 

This land of old age, you know. 
An invisible land, and a mystic place, 

'Tis silent and sad, at times. 
And yet, there is rarest happiness there, 

For its borders are summer climes. 

These borders are Youth and our own Happy 
Land, 

And our Happy Land is the place, 
Where we are sure to find the one we love, 
We will meet him face to face 
So. do you think this land is very bad 

When one border is rosy Youth ? 
And the other Love in fond embrace? 

'Tis a glorious land, in truth. 

And we'll reach this land, yes, you and I, 

But the waiting time spent there, 
With Love just over the border. 

Will pass without tears or care. 
So, come on, old age, I'll meet you half way, 

And go with you to the end. 
For my dearest friends will travel with me, 

And vou. too. shall be mv friend. 



KATIE DAFFAN 65 



THE MEANING OF THE SMILE. 

"You always smile, and you're always glad, 

Be serious, don 't smile today ; 
I've something to tell you, much to me, 

Now look in my eyes — that's the way." 

"You don 't understand that smile, my dear. 
Though I've smiled all through the long 
years. 
Sometimes 1 smile when old thoughts come 
back, 
To keep down a dark flood of tears. ' ' 



TWO WOMEN. 

The One. 

Her face is aglow with expectant fire — 
Restless she waits, as the time marks nine ; 

He comes ! and she meets him with girlish joy, 
And her touch to the man is like wine. 

Her womanly manner and sweet girl grace, 
Stir the manhood deep down in his heart, 

Such dependence ! Such faith ! From one so pure. 
From all sin she has drawn him apart. 

The Other. 

Looking out on the autumn, brown and sere, 
Counting years since he went away ; 

Grey shadows rest on her once brown head. 
She Avaits, though he comes not that day. 

She has missed him each hour and her pure soul, 
Prays that God His own mercy may give 

To those whose lives are kept from the light, 
And with hearts broke in twain can still live. 



66 AS THINKETII A WOMAN 



THE NIGHT QUEEN. 

I hear the songs of bees and birds — - 

The whir and the stir of the leaves; 
The locust's call, the frog's deep croak, 

And aroma, the sweet air breathes. 
The lake is fringed Avith brown eat tails ; 

And trees droop with their fruitage dear; 
AVith gold and blue the sky is streaked. 

And all ope' their ears wide to hear. 

A trniupet sound! A queen moves on, 

A ripple moves over the lake ; 
I^illy-buds move their pillows green, 

While the fire-flies their torches take. 
The calm is broken ! Night has come ! 

In her dark robes, mystic as death ; 
Gold-flecked is her throat with burning stars. 

And she cools the earth with her breath. 



KATIE DAPFAN 67 



GO TO SLEEP, MY BABY BOY! 

Go to sleep, my li'l, sweet baby boy, 

iMammy know' he ev'ry whim, 
En slie gwine er git 'em, one by one, 

Dat so 'noys an' pesters 'im. 
Jes' keep yo' han's on yo' mammy's bi-c^as', 

She kin keep yo ' f 'om all ha 'm, 
No ghos' en no goblins eomin' roun', 

Case we's got de witches cha'm. 

I scar' away dat bumble bee, 

Yo' shut dem eyes so yo' can't see. 

Ain't mammy got yo' on her knee? 
Go to sleep, my baby boy. 

What yo' gwiner do w'en you gits up 

Thes big en so tall en fine! 
Yer can 't run to old mammy den 

En sit in her lap en whine, 
When all de cares ob dis hard, old life 

Comes er fluttriii' roun' yo' haid, 
It'll ache at night, en yo'll pray fer revs". 

But yo' mammy — she'll be daid. 

I use to hoi' yo' papa here — 
He nestled up en had no fear- 
Case he know'd mammy's arms was near, 
Go to sleep, my baby boy. 

So, take yo ' peaceful res '. sweet chile. 

Now's yo' bes' rest time, dat's sho' 
De spring's when lam's dey sleep en play, 

De winter wind brings de snow. 
My precious chile, he sho' gwiner be, 

A gret big man in de Ian ' 
But yo' mammy know de crown press hard 

Dat mus' fit a haid so gran'. 



68 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 

Angels, flop yo' shinin' wings, 
Keep off my chile all bees dat stings. 
Till for him yo' bell in heaven rings, 
God keep my own baby boy. 



HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. 

Could I tell you how much I love you 

In roses and lillies, my dear. 
You \A'ould dwell in a fragrant garden, 

With never a blaek shadow near. 

Could I tell you how nuich I love you 
In words, I would talk for long weeks; 

But words are poor things when love overflows, 
Lips are sealed then, the full soul speaks. 

Could I tell in tears how I love you, 
I would weep as the mourners weep; 

With never a help or glad, bright ray, 
Whosr sorrow is heavy and deep. 

But flowers, nor words, nor tears cmu tell 
How my life is fixed upon you — 

The fairest flower that lives on earth, 
God-planted, and holy and pure. 



KATIE DAFFAN 69 



THE GYPSY PRIESTESS. 

The gypsy's life is fantastic and free; 

She lives with the flowers and birds ; 
The streams and cataracts whisper to her, 

In murmuring, soft, tender words. 
Her eyes burn bright as the calm, evening star ; 

She's daring and fearless and bold; 
Her castle home is the wild forest green ; 

And she tells what has never been told. 

She pillows her head on the earth's warm 
breast, 

"While sweet breezes their lullabys sing, 
And Nature, her comrade, in voice so true. 

Gives her knowledge of ev'ry thing. 
To her call in the trees the fleet deer bounds ; 

The grass parts that she may pass through ; 
The turrets and domes on her castle fair 

Are the stars in heaven's vast blue. 

She knows every course in the heavenly vault, 

And she talks to the sweet south breeze ; 
She hears what the katydid has to tell 

To the fluttering leaves on the trees. 
And she knoAvs why the frogs croak loud and 
long, 

When the rain is fast on the way. 
And the ground hog asks her advice about 

Coming out on Ground Hog Day. 

She Avatches the birds that fly to the east, 
And the ones that soar to the west, 

To the west, 'tis ill for lover and maid. 
But the east brings an early nest. 

She begins her song in staccato note, 
Then she pleads in legato tone. 



70 AS THINKETII A WOMAN 

And it floats far out o'er city and hill 
'Til it reaches your truant one. 

Merrily roving she never does tire 

For she studies the wild human heart, 
An integral part of the universe, 

And, discerning, she sees each small part. 
So, bring your misgiving and doubt and fear 

To this Priestess of Love 's holy art ; 
She'll pour in the balm, bid you hope, look up, 

For Love's altar rests firm on her heart. 



LET MK DRINK TO YOUR EYES. 

Let me drink to your eyes, my darling — 
Grey eyes, that give light from your soul ; 

Their light, and their sparkle, and luster, 
My heart doth entirely control. 

Let me drink to your lips, my darling — 
Your lips just like royal, red wine. 

Their fragrance sweet I drink to the dregs. 
Each good day that comes, girl o' mine. 

Let me drink to the years, my darling, 
When those eyes and those lips will say. 

Words to me, dear heart, that are priceless — 
Here's to Time. Oh, be on vour wav ! 



KATIE DAPFAN I 1 



IT IS BETTER TO WANT SOME TtllNGS ! 

"Come, little boy, I'll untangle your curls, 
And wipe those big tears away; 

They've rolled down so fast that they've 
marked your cheeks. 
Your smiles are all gone today. 

"Let us build for you a great house of blocks, 
For these horses, cows and sheep ; 

From your Noah's Ark, just look at them there. 
Piled up in a marvelous heap. 

"And here is your doll, just like a boy's doll. 

Lying down flat on her face ; 
Her sash is untied and her dress is torn. 

She's been hanging up In- hen- lace. 

"And your faithful, patient old hobby horse.! 

You are like some men I know ; 
You've ridden the poor old thing near to death. 

Then cry because he can't go. 

"Your tailless elephant, the once beloved. 
With trunk torn and eyes punched out ; 

This once proud Zoo-Zoo shows signs of decay. 
You're a hard master, no doubt. 

"Some little boys haven't all of these things. 

To make them happy and glad. 
Just an old stick horse and one old rag doll. 

And they are not cross and bad. 

"If wc could possess just half that we have. 

And not all that wishing brings. 
We would all be better, the world would tno. 

It is better to want some things." 



72 AS TlllNKETII A WOMAN 



I SAW A FACE. 

I saw a face furrowed with sorrow, 

And care and pitiless pain, 
And reflected there was the image 

Of the Grief God's cruel mein. 
The life of that woman is sinless — 

Few mistakes lie at her door; 
Yet the stain of Sin is upon her 

And grapples her heart with woe. 
I thought, ' * Wh}^ is this sad condition ? 

Why should she pay in hot tears, 
For the wrecked life of another. 

And grieve for him through the years?" 
Then, I knew that her tears would save him, 

It would seem God planned it so — 
' ' A life for a life, ' ' oft marks the path 

That He bids some women go. 



DENIAL. 

When Humanity, for the moment, comes between 
us and Thy Throne, God, pierce the dark veil and 
let Thy face shine through as the Sun. 

To those of us who have denied Thee, extend for- 
giveness, and give us a constant service in Thy King- 
dom. 

If we can not guard the Gate of Heaven, give unto 
us the guarding of the hearts of our fellow men, that 
we may unlock them, that Thy precious Love may 
enter in. 

Let us be ever penitent, ever watchful, ever Thine 
own. 



KATIE DAFFAN 73 



THE ASPEN TREE. 

The aspen tree is afraid all the time, 
For he trembles, quivers and shakes; 

lliongh he looks quite strong and his arms 
reach out, 
And a right wholesome shade he makes. 

I've been wondering what he must have done. 

Has he injured some other tree? 
Does he shake and quake because of some .sin? 

Has the forest made this decree? 

I think, when all the trees bud and bloom 

In their foliage rich and bright, 
It reminds this aspen of what he did, 

And he trembles the day and night, 

Just the way with men and women you know, 
Whose lives have been tinctured with sin, 

They think those they meet or pass on the way. 
Know their past, and what it ha.s been. 

So, they tremble, quiver and shake with fear. 

At everything under the sun. 
But the biggest scarecrow that comes to them 

Is self-hato, for what thev have done. 



74 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



LOVE AND PRIDE. 

As I look toiiiglit on your pictured face, 

It all comes right back to me — 
Those days of my life that stand far apart — 

Days of youth's glad ecstaey. 

When I watched at the hour that you left uie, 

Tntil you came back again, 
For life it was love and love it was life, 

The glad j^ears, then, bore no pain. 

But sorrows and heartache have come so fast. 
And have pierced with such keen dart. 

That T 've knelt each day at my soul 's lone 
shrine, 
Fi.v the Death IMass of my heart. 

For Pride rules stern in a merciless reign; 

Unrelenting, cruel, cold — 
Love is there, hut chained down tight and 
fast— 

Pride will not lighten his hold. 

Love's poor little wings are impatient to play. 

He's restless and tired, too, 
And he begs cold Pride to fron him just once. 

To send a message to you. 

I have prayed that this monster. Pride, may die. 

Ere Death comes 'twixt you and me, 
That Love may yet conquer and call you back, 

Forgive yon and make n)e free. 



KATIE DAFFAN 75 



THE DEAD CHILD. 

He was dead ; he lay there before me, 

The rings of his golden hair 
Were scattered all over the pillow, 

The sunbeams had gathered there. 

And this is Death ! One way that he comes, 
For the choice, the rare, the best. 

Child from ,your arms, wann blood from 
yonr heart. 
Bird from the warm parent nest. 

And what does it mean, "Thy will be done," 
When Death calls and takes your own ? 

You feel his hand at your broken heart. 
And know that you're all alone. 

Yon stand, dry-eyed and look at the face 

The hands and the little feet. 
That caressed and lilessed and followed you 

Thai made liappiness complete. 

They lead you away. Wliy ? You can't tell 

And you go, as in a dream. 
To sit and wait, you do not know how. 

TToi^o has fled witli her last gleam. 

Then it is over; you try to live. 

To pick up the daily threads, 
.\nd God knows all and He leads us back 

To Eaith. when our loved ones are dead. 



76 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



THE elemp:ntary thing. 

You can stop a fire from burning 
You can stop a ball from turning ; 
You can stop the sheep from roaming ; 
You can stop the glass from foaming ; 
You can stop the wild bird's singing; 
You can stop the ivy 's clinging ; 
You can stop tlie brook 's still running ; 

You can stop the leopard's cunning. 

* * * * * * * * # 

But all these are supplementary — 

None of these arc elementary. 

Just one thing is full of meaning — 

Full of sun-warmth, gently beaming. 

Strong as winds in winter blowing ; 

Fierce as rivers swiftly flowing. 

'Tis a woman's warm, time nature. 

Full of love in wholesome measure. 

Though the brooks may cease their running, 

And the leopards lose their cunning, 

This one thing it stoppeth never — 

Woman's wavs go on forever. 



INDECISION. 

In time of Indecision, Doubt and Trembling, 
Father in Heaven, be Thou my guide. Light the path 
Thou wouldst have me journey, and make impossible 
the things Thou wouldst have me not do. 



KA'I'IK DAFFAN 77 



THE ELYSIAX PATHS. 

Spread Thy ever-strengthening, ever-loving anns 
O Kind Shepherd, aronnd those, Thy children, wko 
have wandered into the bright-hued, elysian paths of 
magnetic temptation. 

Those who are so nnieh of earth as to be bound to 
its painful pleasures and happy miseries, in Divine 
miracle, purify their rapidly darkening lives and, in 
Discipline, start anew their pilgrimage through the 
earthly kingdom. When the pain of this Discipline 
has passed, soothe with Humility, Chastity and a 
desire to serve Thee. 



MORTAL LOVE. 

Help us. Thou God of Love, to not love over-much 
any mortal here upon the earth. 

Deliver us from a too-deeply rooted human passion, 
and help us to remember that Thou art the source of 
Love. 

To those who have loved too mortallj^ those who 
have drunk from the cup of Passion held in unholy 
hands, be compassionate, remembering the genera- 
tions of sinning parents who have lived before them, 
and remembering the frail, worthless dust of which 
Thou hast made Thv creatures. 



78 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



THE TWO POWERS. 

The two powers which Thou. God, on the niorn- 
ing of Creation, didst place in the heart and body 
of man, we implore Thee to guide. 

Keep us in Thy image and teach us to not misuse 
Thy secondary gift, but help us to remember that 
both gifts are fi'om Thee, placed in us by Thy Divine 
Hand. 

Guide us, until Thou dost see fit to separate these 
two powers and call the Spirit from the Body. 



SELF-KNOWLEDGE. 

I pray, heart of God, for self-knowledge. For 
a ready sense of my own weakness and many limi- 
tations that I may, therefore, know my strength. 

Let courage be ever present, planted deep in the 
rock of Thy Love and Law and Dispensation. 

Let my belief in myself come from a changeless 
worship of Thee, and teach me, every hour, that all 
true Power, Strength and Beauty come only from Thy 
Throne, through the avenues of Faith and Atone- 
ment. 



KATIE DiUi^FAN 79 



CHRISTMAS DAY AND EVERY DAY. 

Today, because it is Christmas day, 

My heart goes abroad to you 
Tonight, because it is Christmas night, 

My pledges of faith, I renew. 

A week from today, when the glad New Year 

In his glory spans above, 
I'll wish for you health and wealth and peace, 

Bountiful pleasure and love. 

Should sorrow's wing spread o'er your path 

Ere the year completes his store, 
In tenderest grief I'll share with you 

Whatever is left at your door. 

And every day that the New Year brings, 
Though you journey in lands afar, 

I'll think of you as today, tonight, 
For I love you wherever you are. 



MORNING PRAYER FOR LITTLE SCHOOL 
CHILDREN. 

Lord, help us to study. 

And guide us all the day. 
Keep our feet from stepping 

In the dark sinful way. 

Make us kind and helpful, 

Steadfast, brave, good and true, 

Ready for Thy service 

And Thy dear love so pure. 



80 AS THINKETPI A WOMAN 



WILL I LOVE HIM ALWAYS? 

Will I love him always? You ask of me. 

Will the sun on tomorrow shine? 
Will the stars burn bright? Will spring buds 
bloom ? 

Will the Poles tlieir course incline? 

Always? Of course, if I've loved him at all. 

Sun, Water and p]arth and Love 
Are the elements — things that are of God, 

Ruled by Him in coui-ts above. 

Why don't you go out and stop tlie bright sun 

From his shining in the sky? 
Then tell the white moon to hide her pale face 

As she timidly wanders by. 

Call loud to the stars to put out their lights. 

And be sure to stop the tide ; 
Tell the rain to cease, the wind to be still. 

Now, tcil Love to leave your side. 

All of these first you may hope to stop. 

Their courses you may control. 
But Love is the pivot on which worlds move — 

Of our world Love is the soul. 



KATIE DAFFAN 81 



QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. 

In a manger rough she phieed her child 

God's hand in destiny led, 
While the shepherds knelt and the wise men 
prayed 

'Round His humble, holy bed. 

Into Egypt dark she carried her child, 

As angel steps marked the way, 
To fulfill the precious prophecy old — 

''Until God called, there to stay." 

To the temple high she went with her child. 

For the faitliful ones to see 
Their Master, their S>aviour. their King and 
Lord, 

Who. on earth, their light should be. 

To a cross of wood she followed her child 

To see him. in quiv'ring pain; 
Fay the price that wretched men here might 
live. 

And be cleansed from ci-imson stain. 

To his tomb she went to weep and to pray. 

And worship the long, dark day ; 
But he was not there for an angel hand 

Had rolled the grave stone away. 

In heaven, in triun)i)h. she joined her child. 
This mother, who gave him birth. 

And there on a throne, espoused of her God, 
She is Queen of heaven and earth. 



82 AS THINKETII A WOMAN 



WE ALWAYS GIVE BACK WHAT WE TAKE. 

A thing in this world to nie does seem strange. 

Though we see it here every day, 
One man will attempt and achieve a deed, 
Great effort he'll give and at last sncceed. 

And his treasure is stolen away, 
By one not worthy, who never has tried 

To lielp the world by act or by thought, 
Yet he takes the praise another has won — 
Glory he wears of another's race run, 

And by those of his kind h*^ is sought. 

This is theft in a low and base degree, 

^Vnd in crudest forms it is shown. 
I wish I could put everything just right, 
Give victors the laurels won in the fight, 

And put pretenders off of the throne. 
One thing is true, if all others are false, 

Every man pays the debts that he makes. 
A collector calls at every man's door, 
Exacting, collecting a pitiless score. 

And we all give back just what we take. 



KATIE D.U-^FAN 83 



WAITING ! 

("They also serve, who only stand and wait." — 
Milton.) 

With bleeding heart and sinrit worn, 

All alone we stand and wait. 
Hoping, trusting, praying, weeping. 

Searching for that narrow gate 

That will open to Thy pilgi-iiiis 
Who would seek the better road. 

Which, at la,st, winds to Thy kingdom. 
Where we ca.st aside our load. 

If they've "served," who've stood and waited 
While their hearts with pain were rent, 

Saints in Heaven look down upon them. 
Is a greater trial sent 

To that one who longs and listens 
For Love's touch which is divine? 

For that touch of life which quickens 
Human hearts with sacred wnne" 

If they've also served who've waited 

Gentle Lord in tender care. 
Send to thase who still are ^\•aiting, 

Love's own arm>s to hold them there. 

At their sides let Love stand ever, 

Then they'll wait and watch and pray, 

And serve, as only Love can serve you — 
God. send Love to them todav. 



84 AS TIJINKETH A WOMAN 



:\IY LOVEE AT SEA. 

I have a bold lover, he's far out at sea, 
On the ocean's deep, foam-flecked breast. 

He's a brave sailor lad and he goes far out. 
And a faithful heart beats in his breast. 

A message comes trembling at soft evening tide, 
On the trade-winds, messengers true. 

As the moon trails lier shimmering silvery^ 
skirts, 
Far out on the soft waters blue, 

And she holds down her oar and hears every 
word, 

As she stoops from her throne so high ; 
Then scatters her soft rays all over my bed, 

As my messenger hurries hy. 

And this is the message the trades leave with 
me. 
As T sleep in the moon's pure light. 
"I loAP you! I'm coming! Wait. wait. dear. 

for me 

Glorious dav will follow the night." 



KATIE DAFFAN 85 



i^^LOWERS. NOT SWEP^T. 

I saw, in a far away country, 

Bright fIowei*s, all choice and rare, 
In hue superb, in foliage rich, 

But no sweet perfume was there. 
I said, "I can not love these flowers, 

Though they are all fine and gay, 
They seem so vain on their long, green stems, 

Please find me one fragrant spray." 

They told me that their days were all warm, 

That their 's was a hot, still clime; 
"I know, then, wliy your blooms are not sweet. 

That requires a cool seed time." 
And the life that feels the cooler days. 

Is sure to be made more sweet ; 
Then it knows the warmth of the glad sunshine. 

And its year is made complete. 



LITTLE GIKL. 

'I'hc sweetest name woman ever heeds 

From her lover ivS "Little Girl." 
It makes tier a child and her glad heart sings 
She looks in his eyes and tells him all things, 
When she hears him call. "Little Girl." 

Appealing, protective and tender, 

'Tis an old-fashioned name. "Little Girl." 
But the fondest name that she ever hears. 
It caresses, it lightens, helps and cheers. 

When \'()u want mc call "Little Girl." 



86 AS THINKETII A WOMAN 



promisp: .me nothing, i beg op you ! 

Promise me nothing, I beg of you, 

No ardent vows do I crave, 
'Tis easy to swear, to vow or to pledge 

That you'll be my humble slave, 

But I want no slave, remember that 
And a slave you could not be, 

So, why make a promise you're sure to break? 
From such vows I'll make you free. 

Keep holy vows in your inmost soul, 
.Vnd act them all out each day, 

Each hour when I shall become your own 
For that is the only way, 

To prove yourself to a woman's heart, 
Don't tell what you're going to do, 

But do it all, don't promise or plan. 
Act your love and live it, too. 

Promise me nothing, I beg of you. 

Though I'm to become your wife, 
Don't vow that you love me, just prove those 
words. 

By actions all of your life. 



KATIE DAFFAN 87 



THE TIGHT ROPE. 

When first we M^alk Ambition's rope drawn tight, 
And feel its trembling length, our quivering sight 

Is dimmed and blurred, and our frail bodies sway : 
But. if we, in our hands hold high and true 
A balance pole of Right, we are secure. 

And, step by step, we gain the dangerous way. 

And high and higher, as we move in space, 
The loolcei"s-on grow dizzy at our pace. 

And huig'h and call to us that danger's near; 
But, as we gain the far-off, sun-lit height, 
We close and closer grasp that pole of Right, 

Which steadies, liolds and quiets every fear. 

And when, at last, we've walked it all the way. 
While jeers and threats and slurs came every day 

We look down at that crowd which watched us 
stand, 
To find them changed, for now they praise and sing, 
As we have found the top, outreaehed their sting. 

They ask, ''What is that Pole within his hand?" 

Above their heads our balance pole is waved, 
We bid them read the letters there engraved, 

"Do right — that's all, and keep this in your souls: 
Love much your fellowman, forgive his jeers; 
Love every man, forget his slurs and sneers. 

If you would walk life's tight rope to the goal." 



88 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 

TAKK YOUR OWN PLACE IN THE 
LANDSCAPE. 

Why do you sigh as you sit here? 

0, why do you moan and weep ? 
Don't you see the sun's glad shining 

As he jewels the hill's sides steep? 

8ee those i-oeks and roads all eovered 
Witli a million jems so fair, 

Each dewdrop swells with its burden 
Of rubies and turquoise rare. 

And look at the grass, a carpet ! 

In rain])ow colors made, 
Tlie sini is an ancient weaver. 

And his taste he has displayed 

In that arrangement of color 
Now, look above at the aky, 

How it changes, changes, changes. 
See the clouds go traveling by 

On their blue highway in heaven. 

They seem to be busy there. 
See those mountains, rivers, valleys, 

That the clouds make in the air. 

Look at that tree how it rests yon. 

Feel its quiet, cooling shade. 
For years and years he has stood there. 

And a wholesome vshelter made. 

And you want to whine and whimper? 

What are you, conceited man ? 
Take y(mr own place in the landscape 

And do the brsf iJiat you ca)i 



KATIE DxVFFAN 89 



To be liappy, good and useful. 

Don't be a blot and a scar, 
Take lessons from busy nature 

And work ivkerever you are. 



HOW HAPPINPJSS COMES. 

The house was quiet, except in one room ; 

Great noise was holding sway. 
For a small boy was singing a doleful tune: 

He couldn't go to play. 
I found him rolling about on the floor. 

In a stormy state of mind, 
And I said, "Little boy, you nuist <|uiet down. 

Let's see what we can find. 

'"For days like this are for sweet little boys. 

To read — don't cry and whine, 
We will look for something dai'ing jind l)i'a\-e. 

And malxc a sun to shine." 
We read all day long and his face gi-ew bright. 

His eyes Avere brighter bln<' 
And I felt good foi*, in solacing him, 

I was nuide ha])py, too. 



90 AS THINICETH A WOMAN 



TO EDNA DAFFAN. 



"I'm ready now, sister, come tie my sash. 
These roses I'll wear in ray hair. 

And for these knots of lace, 

Find the prettiest place. 
Put this clasp on my shoulder, there. 

"Now, how do I look? Are my ribbons 

straight ? 
And my fan and wrap, where are they ? 

I must have them just right, 

For tonight is the night, 
Love tells me he's well on the way. 

"There's the bell, I am gone, thank you, sis- 
ter, dear. 
Of course I'll behave well, you know. 

Why do yoio look so sad. 

While I'm happy and glad? 

Sister mine, did you want to go ? " 

She misunderstood what she saw in my face. 
It was just as well that she did, 

For I've had my full share. 

And enjoyed pleasures rare. 
That tear I should like to hnve hid. 

I was thinking of her in her perfect bloom, 
And I prayed that blights should not mar, 

But that life should enfold. 

Love's rich treasures untold. 
That her battles would leave no scar. 

The radiant joys held high for her now, 
May the angels keep well in store. 
Let thorn alwavs be near. 



KATIE DAPFAN 91 

Bid her trust, never fear, 
May Love always ring at her door. 

So pure and so happy, not knowing the 

wrong, 
God keep her in Thy gentle care, 

And at last, when she's dressed 

For that long, dreamless rest, 
Send angels to wateh o'er her there. 



92 AS TIIINKETH A WOMAN 



COME 'KKE TO YER :\rA:\II\[Y! 

You cum "ere to yer manuny, eliile, 
►She kno' he's hungry, sho'; 

Lemnie tie dis tow'l 'roun yo' neck. 
Now set down on de flo', 

En put dis pan ob chicken pie 

Right in yo' lap en eat; 
TVise company's goin' to stay all day, 

En yo' has 'haved so sweet. 

But mammy ain' gwine let him starve — 
Don ' keer who cum en stays ; 

De white folks stan's en talks, en talks, 
En spec' him wait always. 

Now take dat drum-stick in xo' lian', 

En 'naw it clean en neat. 
Den put yo' han' down in dnt pie. 

Fur dump! in 's sho' is swe(>t. 

Mammy made dis pie jes fer yo', 
'Case she kru)' what to 'spec'; 

Some folks don' kno' de time t(M' go. 
But vo'. dev shcin' neglec'! 



KATIE DAFPAN 93 



THE PORT OF STARTING ANEW. 

Do you know any one who wants to go back 

And start all over again? 
Who has gone far enough in wjmderlust way, 

Whose body is sick with pain? 

Did you ever enter this beautiful port. 

The port of Starting Anew? 
The Port of Confessing, Forgetting and Hope, 

Where the skies are a perfect blue? 

Did you ever feel that 3^ou needed to go 

To this port so fine and fi-ec. 
Where daily new ships — freight witli cargoes 
rare, 

Ready to put out to sc^a. 

Go yourself to the port of Starting Anew; 

Let Love choose, while you are there, 
A cargo that matches your strength and speed 

Then embark with prudence and eai-e. 

Forget your old ship that went down in the 
storm ! 
Look not at its ruined sail ! 
On ! On ! With true eye and nerve that is 
strong. 
Start now! your new ship won't fail 

To carry you safely and certainly on 

From this port so fine and free, 
Where th(^ new shi{)s each day start with car- 
goes rare, 

Ready ? Then put out to sea. 



94 AS THINKETH A WOMAN 



ARE YOU HAPPIER NOW, WOMAN? 

Are you happier now, woman, 

With your cold and cruel eyes. 
Since you proudly scorned and frowned and 
spurned. 

And refused to recognize 

A woman you thought bore the taints of sin. 

Whose page bore a blot and blur? 
Are you so perfect in heart and life 

That you can find fault with her? 

Now think for a moment just what you did. 
As you brushed your skirts aside. 

For fear you might touch her in that broad 
street, 
And lier tears she could not hide 

From you, and you knew the reason, 

For you made her heart to bleed. 
And you call yourself a true Christian ? 
You're not — for Love is His creed. 

What if you kiK^w the very worst things 
Of her, which you do not know ? 

Are you the one to stand up and judge? 
God, to judge ivoman, is slow. 

For He made the wonders of her heart; 

Now, how would you like for me 
To read every page in your own life? 

Are all white ? From each sin free ? 

Is there not one page you would like to hide 
From God and escape His blame ? 

Then speak as you pass, you're none too good. 
In God's eyes you're just the same. 



KATIE DAFFi^Sf 95 



THE CHARM. 



Men and women all like her, and children, too, 

And she has a bright, pleasant air, 
When once yon have seen her, you do not forget 
She never makes effort to chanu yon, and yet, 

You Imow that this woman is rare. 

She has a great power- — the choice charm of all 

And she never gives least offense ; 
She sees through a thing from beginning to end. 
Then says what she thinks and she does not pre- 
tend- 
She has plenty of comnton sense. 



LOVE'S VIGIL. 

As the sun looks down from the mountain height 

On the calm, sweet valley below, 
As the winter snow gently wraps the earth 

To warm little plants as they grow, 
So, my love keeps watch o 'er your life, dear heart, 

Strong and glad as the sun, and true. 
Like the snow that guards the plants from the 
cold, 

Does my love keep guard over you. 



1914: 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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